Clothes-tongs



(No Model.) I 4 B. I. WILLIAMS. I

' GLOTHES TONGS. No. 342,414. Patented May 25, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN I. WILLIAMS, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

CLOTH ES-TONGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 342314, dated May 25, 1886.

Application filed June 22, 185 5.

This invention pertains to certain new and useful improvements in clothes-tongs; and it consists in providing two jaws pivotally connected together and held in their normally- 15 closed position by a suitable coil springlocated between the two handles of the tongs, and in forming the lower longer jaw with a longitudinal concave recess forincreasing the bearing-surfacc on thc'clothes or articles held be- 2o tween the jaws, and in the detailed construction, combination, and arrangement of the parts, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is 25 a view,in side elevatiomof my invention with parts at each end broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line mm, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my invention.

30 In carrying out my invention I provide two members, A B, the former being made of greater length than the latter, and said former member, A, has a longitudinal concave recess on the upper surface of its jaw, in which 5 concave recess the jaw of the upper shorter member, 13, is designed to fit. At about the center of the upper shorter member, B, is provided a slot extending inwardly therein a Serial No. 169,375. (No mod cl.)

short distance, and in this slot is secured a plate, D, said plate also fitting into a come 4c spondingly-shaped slot similarly formed in the jaw of the lower longer member, A. Through the members A B and plate D are passed two pins or rods, 0, forming the pivotal bearings for said jaws. Immediatelyin 45 rear of said plate D is secured a coil spring,

E, which spring is countersunk a suitable distance in both of said members, and its office is to hold said jaws of the members closed togetherattheircontacting-points. The handle 5: parts of the members A B diverge from the point of connection with the plate D by the pins 0, the upper member having a greater divergence than the lower.

I am aware that it is not new to construct clothes-tongs having springactuated concave jaws touching each other on their outer ends; but my invention is designed to provide an increased bearingsnrface of the jaws on the clothes or other articles. 6

Having thus fully described my invention, what claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination,with the lowerlonger memher having itsjaw provided with alongitudinal 6: concaverecess on its upper surface and the up L pershortermemberhavingitsjawfittingin said recess, of the plate secured in slots in said members,and havingthepivotal pins or rods passed through said members and plate, and the coil 7( spring countersunk in thehandles of said members, substantially as shown and described.

BENJAMIN I. \VILLIAMS.

\Vitnesses:

A. E. CowLEs, L. .HUNGERFORD. 

